Men’s basketball: Mitchell declares for draft

University of North Texas sophomore forward Tony Mitchell speaks at a press conference announcing he will leave school early and declare for the NBA draft, Wednesday, March 20, 2013, at Apogee Stadium in Denton, TX.

UNT star elects to not return for junior year

Tony Mitchell developed a reputation for
doing the spectacular at North Texas, from throwing down highlight-reel dunks
to swatting opponents’ shots into the stands.

Those moments were always in stark
contrast to Mitchell’s quiet, humble personality off the court that was on
display when his time at UNT came to an end Wednesday.

“I’m happy to be at this moment right
now,” Mitchell said. “This is my dream. I’ve decided to declare for the NBA
draft.”

And with that, one of the more
remarkable — not to mention unusual — careers for a UNT athlete came to a
close.

Mitchell said he has closed the door on
his college career and will focus on the camps and workouts he will go through
leading up to the June 27 draft at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Underclassmen can withdraw from the draft until June 17.

Mitchell will forego his final two years
of college eligibility, a decision he reached after consulting with his coaches
and family.

Mitchell said he settled on that choice
a week after the end of a disappointing season for UNT, which finished 12-20
and was eliminated in the first round of the Sun Belt Conference tournament by
Louisiana-Lafayette.

“I just felt comfortable,” Mitchell
said. “It was the best decision for me to go to the league. I sat down with my
family and made the decision.”

Several projections have Mitchell slated
to be selected in the first round and receive a two-year contract that would
make him a millionaire.

UNT head coach Tony Benford said he has
little doubt that Mitchell will be a first-round pick and expects him to be a
lottery selection, one of the top 14 picks.

NBA officials “will see his skill set,”
Benford said. “That will surprise them. He will be a lottery pick regardless of
the players who come out. He can guard multiple positions, and they will see
his ability to shoot the basketball.”

“Tony’s game is made for the open space
that he will see in the NBA,” Smith said.

Mitchell won’t be the primary option
offensively no matter which NBA team selects him. That role is something
Mitchell struggled with at times at UNT. He shattered UNT’s single-season and
career records for blocked shots with 87 and 157, respectively, on the
defensive end, where he always excelled.

“The pressure will finally be off him,”
UNT senior forward Roger Franklin said. “He won’t have to take all the shots
and be the guy who is being showcased. He will be able to play the style he has
always wanted to play.”

Mitchell flashed the ability to be a
great all-around player right away at UNT. He enrolled at the school on Jan.
26, 2011, after failing to meet NCAA eligibility requirements to accept a
scholarship. Mitchell originally committed to Missouri.

He became eligible at the semester break
of the 2011-12 season and went on to average 14.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per
game as a freshman while establishing himself as one of the best young players
in the country.

Mitchell briefly considered declaring
for the NBA draft after playing just 23 games for UNT, but he elected to return
to school for one last season, even after the Mean Green’s former head coach
Johnny Jones left for LSU.

UNT struggled with injuries and
inconsistency in its first season under Benford. Mitchell saw his production
drop to 13.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, but he said he does not regret
returning for his sophomore season.

“Coming back was the right decision,”
Mitchell said. “We got after it every day. Coach is a life-changer. These guys
[Benford and his assistants] changed our lives. They held us accountable and
made us work every day. They cussed us out. Coach Benford’s favorite phrase is,
‘Who’s going to feed your babies?’ It was fun for me on and off the court.”

Benford could see a change in Mitchell
during a tough season that saw the Mean Green lose three key players to
season-ending injuries — shooting guard Brandan Walton and forwards Jacob
Holmen and Justin Patton.

Mitchell was double- and triple-teamed
at times, but Benford said he always remained focused on team goals.

Benford saw that as one of the ways
Mitchell has matured.

“Tony has improved as a person,” Benford
said. “He has been accountable on and off the court, which is the most
important thing.”

Mitchell named the chance to mature as
one of the reasons he decided to return to UNT, but there was another factor —
the opportunity to advance to the NCAA tournament. UNT came up just short in
Mitchell’s freshman season, falling to Western Kentucky in the Sun Belt
tournament final 74-70 after leading by 13 points in the second half.

Mitchell named not playing in the NCAA
tournament, which started Tuesday, as one of his few regrets.

“Of course it is disappointing,”
Mitchell said. “Everyone in our circle [huddle] was probably disappointed, but
at the same time, we have to move forward and keep going.”

While Mitchell didn’t get a chance to
play in the NCAA tournament, Benford and UNT athletic director Rick Villarreal
said he left a lasting mark on the entire athletic department.

Mitchell was featured in Sports
Illustrated and was on the cover of Basketball Times.

“Tony gave us a tremendous amount of
exposure and showed kids that you don’t have to go to particular places to be
drafted,” Villarreal said. “You can play anywhere in the country. If you are
good enough to play, they will find you. He was also a great spokesman for
North Texas. He loved to play with kids and hang around after games.”

Mitchell continued to do just that even
as he and his team struggled to meet high expectations.

“The expectations didn’t affect me at
all,” Mitchell said. “You have expectations in anything you do. Coach Benford
had expectations. I had expectations of being the Sun Belt player of the year.
It didn’t turn out. We can’t say too much about it. We have to keep moving
forward.”

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